The Thrill of Writing Suspense

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills

Many of you have asked me why I enjoy writing suspense. A recent interview answers that question for you along with why I view the process a rewarding challenge.

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Question:
Suspense novels usually feature grittier scenes than other genres. In writing about crime scenes and killers, how do you write about them realistically without making your readers feel like they need to wash their minds out with soap?

DiAnn:
My goal is to show reality but not glorify violence. To paint just enough of a gritty picture that readers can use their own imagination and actually be a part of the experience—no matter how scary. Blood is red and open wounds are raw, but I don’t need to write lengthy paragraphs about either of them. The reader gets it.

Question:
Who are more fun to write, the guys or the girls in your stories? Why?

DiAnn:
I’d say the girls. Guess cause I am one. But we can be silly serious, pompous proper, irritatingly intelligent, and oh so unpredictable. Yet my female characters have backstory that explains their motivation and propel them into action.

Question:
When you’re writing a suspenseful scene, do you ever find yourself so immersed in the story world that you lose sight of what’s going on around you?

DiAnn:
Ah, yes. Can I admit to that and still claim sanity? My blood pressure escalates. I stand from my desk and pace. I repeat dialogue and act out the body language. Time slips past the dinner hour …

Question:
What is your favorite suspense novel of all time and why?

DiAnn:
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote is an accounting of a gruesome murder scene. Although it is creative nonfiction, it’s pure suspense. Nightmarish. I think every suspense story has true happenings. In case you wonder, Harlan Coben is my favorite suspense writer. 🙂

Question:
From all your books, what is the most favorite that you’ve written?

DiAnn:
My stories are like my children . . . I don’t have a favorite. All are special. Perhaps it’s the story just released, or one waiting to be released, or one I’m writing. Currently Deadly Encounter is about to enter the world as the first book in a new series, so I’m a little nervous and excited at the same time.